Kristina

2016 Builders’ Blitz

Kristina and her three children live in a small two-bedroom house. The baby shares Kristina’s room and the two other children share a bed in the second room. The quarters are tight for three growing children and their mom. And if space were the only issue, Kristina might never have sought out the homeownership program through Habitat Cabarrus. But for her family, like many low income families, size is only the beginning of the conversation.

Kristina is afraid to allow her children outside to play because of the heavy traffic that fills the road in front of their house. She worries they will behave like children and follow a bouncing ball into the road. Indoor play is problematic as well.

Last summer the air conditioning unit leaked inside the house so badly that Kristina would put towels down every morning before leaving for work. When she got home in the afternoon they would be soaking wet. She would hang them out to dry overnight so she could repeat the procedure the following day. This process went on for months before her landlord fixed the problem. The landlord never did replace or clean the stained carpets.

During the home visit by the Habitat selection committee they noted issues like a hornet’s nest in the dining room, broken HVAC, mold growth that aggravated the children’s health issues, holes in the wall, sinking floors in multiple rooms, and a leaky roof with areas caving in. In addition there were serious security issues like windows painted shut and a door that didn’t close completely.

Kristina is an independent mom who values the ability to fix issues herself rather than having to rely on someone else. She wants to teach her children that they can excel in life – no matter what Life throws at them. In her own words, “We are not looking for a house but we are looking for a HOME.”

Kristina has worked hard to meet her sweat equity hours and soon work will commence on her home. Her home will be a Builders’ Blitz home which means it will be built in partnership with professional builders. She wants to provide her children with stability and continuity. She will work hard alongside dozens of professional builders from our community to supply it.